Reform Trade Practices that Kill Turtles

More than 12 million wild-caught freshwater turtles were
exported from the United States in the past five years.
Freshwater turtles are facing increasing, unsustainable
commercial harvest in the United States to supply food and
medicinal markets in Southeast Asia, as well as worldwide demand
for "pet" industries.

To save many millions of these animals, tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to propose that several species of freshwater turtles be
considered for regulation under CITES (Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora).

The United States is a turtle biodiversity hotspot, home to
more types of turtles than any other country in the world.
Unfortunately, unregulated international trade is rapidly
depleting this rich native heritage: More than 12 million
wild-caught freshwater turtles were exported from the United
States in the past five years.

Given the enormity of this commerce, the United States has a
duty to take a leading role in promoting responsible commercial
turtle trade. Regulation under the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is
critical to ensuring that international trade does not threaten
the survival of our wild freshwater turtle populations.

Unregulated international trade is contributing to the
depletion of America's wild turtle populations -- including rare
map turtles that are already at risk of extinction. Removing
even a few adults from the wild can cause population crashes for
some species of freshwater turtles, so large-scale collection is
an added threat for turtle species already suffering from
habitat loss, water pollution and road mortality.

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